Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell

Lynita Mitchell-Blackwell is the co-founder of The Jewell Jackson McCabe Emerging Leaders Institute. The organization helps women enhance their leadership skills through personal and professional learning courses and cultural experiences. Lynita is today’s Daily Point of Light, and she spoke with Points of Light about why it’s important for her to help other women reach their professional goals. 

Describe your volunteer role. 

I am a co-founder of The Jewell Jackson McCabe Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI), and I currently serve as the executive director. I facilitate several courses to help women and girls enhance their leadership skills. The courses include how to develop and execute workshops, keys to successful entrepreneurship, and effective cross-generational communication. I have served on the board of directors in various capacities during our 10-year history.

What inspired you to give back? 

When I was a young lawyer, I searched for programs to help me become a strong leader and business woman. There were not many tailored to people in the 30 to 40-year age range. In speaking with other women in my age group, I realized that the problem reached across professions and industries. So three colleagues and I came together to found ELI in 2007. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The things I wanted to learn, I researched and taught myself, then developed trainings to teach others. We constantly revamp and update the material to stay current with business trends, which ensures our participants remain competitive in their respective industries. I love watching graduates go on to get promotions, new jobs, start businesses, get larger clients, and found their own nonprofits.

Why do you think it’s important for other people to volunteer?

We are the people we’ve been waiting for all of our lives. We want other people to come save us; we are equipped with the knowledge, resources, network, and drive to do it ourselves. But we must band together to get the greatest benefit of our efforts. Giving back to our communities is really giving back to ourselves.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Lynita? Visit All For Good to find local volunteer experieces.